Elsa, The Bold
by Emma Reade
Summary: Sequel to "Elsa the Great". A diplomatic mission to Siberia quickly turns dangerous as Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Lamin and her son end up having to do battle with Baba Yaga who seeks to eat her child and the demonic Koschei who wants to take Anna as his eternal bride.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **This is the sequel to "Elsa, the Great" if you haven't read that yet I suggest you do before reading this story though I think most aspects of this story will be easy enough to pick up on without having read the previous installment. I'm so excited to start writing this adventure, please leave feedback and reviews. They are greatly appreciated, help me write better and also keep me motivated.

Hope you enjoy!

-Chapter One-

"Einar? Einar! Where are you?" Elsa wore a light blue and white bunad as she shuffled through the halls of the castle. She jerked her head to the left and right as she passed by the decorative halls of the castle. Elsa could hear the new wood creaking beneath her feet as she entered the south hall. The castle has been mostly restored from Hans' attack on the castle five years before but it was quite clear where the damage had been done.

The new renovations looked a bit too modern compared to the more historic aesthetic of the rest of the castle. It was still very easy to see the lines where new wall, flooring and décor had to be placed, clashing with each other in a rather vexing way. There was little Elsa could do about the situation; she had made a public commitment not to use up all of the kingdom's best resources to build the castle. So much of the kingdom had been destroyed and they needed the supplies more than her.

"Einar?" Elsa picked up the pace as she began to walk forward she ran into Lucy who was straightening a painting that had become crooked overnight due to a gust of wind seeping into the castle halls. The painting was of Elsa's great grandfather on a horse standing in front of the fjord. It was a rather majestic image of him, and Elsa pondered what her painting would eventually look like. Dismissing her self-indulgent thoughts for another time she approached Lucy who smiled at her.

"Good morning your majesty, how can I be of service to you?" asked Lucy now finished with the painting. Lucy had on some white gloves, which she was now placing to the side as she stood up straight in the presence of her queen.

"I'm looking for Einar. It's time for his music lesson and I don't want to keep Carina waiting. Have you seen him recently?" Elsa continued to peer around the area as Lucy thought to herself.

"I saw him just a few minutes ago, he was being chased by princess Anna and prince Kristoff. I believe they were playing" recalled Lucy who immediately noticed the tinge of annoyance in Elsa's demeanor.

"Ah of course, my sister and her husband…always distracting Einar from his studies. Thank you Lucy, as you were" said Elsa as she moved down the hall.

It wasn't that Elsa didn't think Einar should have time to play and be a kid, it was more about keeping him focused and driven. Anna and Kristoff weren't the most studious of people and she didn't want her son to become too enamored with a carefree attitude. Not that Kristoff or Anna were carefree people, but they often transferred their desires to play like children again on Einar. And Elsa could already tell it was slowing Einar's learning process down.

Elsa walked into the grand hall and immediately saw Kristoff and Anna giggling amongst each other, Elsa kept her regal face on as she approached. "Have you two seen Einar? I heard you were chasing after him" inquired Elsa as Anna snickered a bit more.

"Well we haven't seen Einar in quite a while. I WONDER WHERE HE MIGHT BE?" yelled Anna as she tilted her head towards the curtains where Einar's shoes could be seen poking out from underneath. Elsa couldn't conceal her grin any longer as she stared off at her blissfully unaware son hiding a purple curtain.

"Yes, we haven't been able to find him. He must be lost somewhere" said Kristoff with boosted volume as well. Kristoff smiled at Elsa who slowly walked over towards the curtain.

"Oh no! You lost my son! What ever will I do?! He must be really gone! Oh, I am such a terrible, terrible mother!" said Elsa in an over exaggerated tone displaying her sub par thespian skills. Then Elsa yanked the curtain away revealing her Einar who laughed and then groaned.

"How did you find me momma?" asked Einar his bright brown eyes staring up at his mother. Einar was four years old but had a quickly maturing face, yet his eyes were bright like his mother's though he did not get her eye color. His hair was a constant battle, it was combed back now but it was curly and when left to it's own device would sprout out like a wild bush. His skin was a rich mocha color that was the envy of many in the kingdom already. His jaw was sharp like his mother's and he definitely had her smile but he carried himself like his father; clearly he mimicked Lamin as best he could.

"I could see your shoes poking out from behind the curtain sweetie" answered Elsa honestly. Elsa kneeled down to be at the level of Einar.

Einar crossed his arms in frustration "Awww! It was a good place" huffed Einar as his mother gently touched his arm.

"Next time you'll be ready" assured Elsa as she took Einar's hand and began to lead him out of the ballroom. But not before exchanging a playful glance with Anna and Kristoff who waved goodbye to them. As they exited the room Kristoff and Anna cooed like two birds.

"Oh Kristoff, he's so adorable!"

"He is."

"I feel a little guilty stealing him away from Elsa."

"Why? He enjoys our company just as much as his parents."

"Yeah, but don't you think it's time…you know…we had a kid of our own?"

"What's the rush Anna? I mean we're still young this is the time to explore and just take in each other's company. If we had a kid we might not have been able to make that fishing trip up north last summer."

"I mean I guess that's true it's just…well I don't know, this is an awfully big castle not to have children running around."

"There are children, what about Krista? She's always showing up."

"Krista is training to be a soldier and she's a twenty year old soul trapped in an eleven year old body it seems. She never wants to play with me for sure."

"That's because you don't know how to use a sword."

"They scare me! Besides no matter what she won't be my daughter. I'd rather just have one of my own."

"You can't decide if you have a daughter or a boy."

"I'm not saying that, I'm saying I just want a kid of my own, pay attention Kristoff."

"I am! I am. I just…having a kid is a big step honey."

"It's one I'm ready to make."

Before Kristoff could argue further with her Kai entered into the room. "Sorry to interrupt, but the queen is busy and I need someone to sign for a gift sent to us." Kai appeared genuinely concerned to be interrupting such a private conversation but Anna wiped any hesitation out of his mind as she cracked her knuckles.

"Welp looks like it's go time for the princess! Not a problem Kai, lead the way." Anna followed Kai out of the ballroom as Kristoff lagged behind; pondering how he was possibly going to win the argument the next time it came up.

* * *

Meanwhile Einar was finishing up his music lesson with his keyed fiddle, he had a natural inclination towards the nyckleharpa which was a complex instrument to play at any age due to it's mixture of keys and strings but Einar tackled it with precision and could already repeat very basic tunes, they were slower paced but impressive nonetheless.

As Einar finished his piece Elsa and Lamin smiled and lightly applauded while Olaf jumped up and down like a ball. "Oh yes! Yes! That was wonderful the best music I've ever heard!" Einar just smiled at the snowman in delight as he put away his nyckleharpa and thanked Carina for the lesson. As Carina exited the room Elsa and Lamin approached their son; with warm arms.

"That was great son, you're getting better each week" cooed Lamin with pride. Einar stared up at his father who ruffled up his hair affectionately. "You'd better get washed up for supper. Tonight were having chicken soup!" Einar beamed and then turned to his mother.

"Momma, after dinner can I take a ride on Kristoff's sled?"Einar was basically jumping up and down in place with anticipation. Lamin turned to Elsa and raised an eyebrow playfully.

Elsa didn't want her son riding on Kristoff's sled, he went too fast sometimes and it was dangerous. She didn't even like Anna riding in it to be honest, and the thought of her son on there frightened her. "Einar, we've talked about this. Not unless I'm with you, and besides it'll be dark after supper."

Einar pouted "But momma, Kristoff rides in the dark!" Einar stepped towards his mother as he made his simple but compelling case.

"Kristoff has been sledding his entire life, you're not ready."

"But momma!"

"Einar, not now it's time to eat, now go get washed up."

"I just want to ride in the sled for a little while!"

"Einar! I said NO!"

Einar bowed his head in frustration and left the room. Elsa instantly felt regret for yelling at him, but she remained still. Lamin gave her a disapproving look and she gritted her teeth "Don't give me that look, you could have backed me up a bit." Elsa turned her shoulder away from Lamin's position.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Lamin as he approached his wife. Before the discussion could continue Lucy knocked on the doorframe.

"Dinner is ready" said Lucy calmly. Elsa and Lamin signaled non verbally that they would be attending soon. Lucy nodded her head understanding and exited the area. Lamin and Elsa sighed and decided it best to come back to this later.

* * *

Einar was still sulking at supper while everyone else ate like someone was going to take the food away from them. At dinner tonight were Kristoff, Anna, Elsa, Lamin, Olaf and Kai. The conversation was light at first but as dinner went on the casual conversation began to taper off.

Kai was the first to speak on the more serious matters "Your majesty, the rebuilding process of the kingdom has been on schedule since the attacks. However we have run into a problem with some of the wood necessary for some homes. We are running low on the reserves and the harsher winter months are approaching."

Anna twirled the spoon in her hand "What about the western forest? Those are good trees for timber." Anna glanced around to ensure her suggestion was at least somewhat valid.

"Unfortunately your majesty if we were to take more wood from that forest we could kill it off permanently. That area is very delicate." Kai folded his hands together, he clearly had considered that option as well.

"Well perhaps we need to look at opening trade up with some new kingdoms. Ones that have the timber we need" suggested Lamin as he corrected himself and took his elbow off the table.

"That is always a possibility, but we need something to trade with." Kai could see Kristoff's eyes lighting up so he stopped him before he could talk "And no, ice will not do." Kristoff sighed in disappointment.

"What about masonry? We have an abundance of stone, not to mention minerals that might be useful to some kingdoms." Elsa cocked an eyebrow. She was waiting for someone to argue with her suggestion, but it never came. Just as a smile was settling into her face a wild thought dashed across her mind. "What if we considered reopening trade with the Southern Isles?"

The room grew dead with silence. Lamin turned to Einar and lightly spoke to him "Einar, why dont you go up to your room for a moment? Us grown ups need to discuss a few things." Einar moved to protest but then saw his mother eye him with a stern look and so he left the table.

As soon as Einar's footsteps were heard fading off in the distance Elsa signaled to people she was now ready to hear their objections. Olaf was surprisingly the first to object "Didn't Hans try and kill Anna and you?"

Elsa nodded her head knowingly. "Yes, and when he tried again I took care of it." There was a cold tinge to that response.

"Elsa, you can't be serious. There is a reason Hans became so vile, he was treated worse by his own brothers. He was not the bad apple in the barrel, the whole lot of them are rotten" argued Anna.

"Not to mention the Southern Isles isn't exactly known for it's timber trade. We'd be opening ourselves up for attack and for very little on the side of even the most optimistic of results."said Kristoff with extreme clarity.

Elsa turned to Lamin who was still in the midst of pondering a response. "Elsa, even if they could be trade partners...we killed their youngest son. Neither of us could ever trust each other." Elsa's face immediately read that Lamin's answer was not the response she wanted to hear.

Elsa folded her hands neatly at the table "Well if anyone has any other better suggestions. I'd like to hear them now."

* * *

Einar was headed back towards his room, he wasn't tired but there wasn't anything else to do. Sometimes Krista would be around and he would try and play with her, but she thought his games were too silly and they'd end quickly. He just wanted to have a little fun. "If only I was older" he mumbled to himself.

At that moment Einar spotted from a hall window Kristoff's sled. Grinning mischievously he thought up a quick plan. Fetching a light coat he sprinted outside.

Einar approached the sled and saw that Sven; Kristoff's plucky reindeer was sleeping. He knew Sven would never let him ride the sled without Kristoff around so he tip toed around Sven and unlatched his ties to the sled. Then quietly Einar pushed the sled away from Sven and aimed it at a small hill. It was a small hill that led to a large field, at the end of the field was a lake.

Einar wasn't allowed by the lake at night normally, but he figured that if he was already sneaking a ride on the sled what harm could going to the lake do? Besides, they'd be busy talking about boring king and queen matters for a while. He'd be back in his room well before they knew he was gone.

Einar lifted himself into the sled and scooted himself to make the sled move closer to the edge of the hill. Einar scooted as much as he could but the sled wasn't budging much. He grunted as he tried to push the sled from the inside, but he wasn't strong enough. "Come on! Come on! MOVE!"

Einar's loud voice woke Sven from his slumber with a spark. Sven got up and kicked a little bit; giving the sled the needed push to go down the hill. Einar screamed in joy as the sled picked up speed going down the hill. As Sven gained his bearings he realized what was happening. He rushed after Einar who was going down the hill much too fast.

Einar was laughing; unaware of the imminent danger. Einar only began to realize the trouble he was in when he tried to slow the sled down, it wasn't possible without Sven. Einar let out a gasp as the sled hit a bed of rocks and propelled him right into the lake. Einar also came to another revelation during this moment: he couldn't swim.

* * *

Elsa and Lamin were headed up to Einar's room in silence, the dinner hadn't gone great. Elsa was heavily criticized for her thoughts on trade with the Southern Isles and was forced to put the issue to rest.

As they opened the door to Einar's room they realized that he wasn't there. "Einar?" called Elsa into the dark room. Taking a moment she then ran to Einar's window and peered out. She saw an overturned sled in the snow and a frantic Sven pacing around in circles. "Einar!" she yelled as she dashed out the door.

**To Be Continued...**


	2. Chapter 2

-Chapter Two-

Einar was desperately trying to keep his head above water; he was flailing his legs as quickly as he could, trying to discover in this one moment how to swim. If he couldn't figure it out, this could be the death of him. Einar called out to Sven but as he did water got into his mouth and began to go down the wrong tube forcing him to gasp and cough.

Sven dashed into the water and began to swim out towards the young prince. Einar did his best to move himself towards Sven but he couldn't keep his head above water any longer and he slipped beneath the surface. The water was cold and being submerged in such a near freezing temperature was causing Einar's muscles to slow down, the resistance of his own body coupled with inexperience was causing him to sink faster and faster.

Sven dove towards Einar with as much speed as possible, but Sven's agility on land did not equate once under water. Tilting his antlers the boy reached out, but Sven wasn't close enough. Then Einar felt his feet touch the rocky bottom, it was actually a good thing as it finally kept him still enough to grab onto Sven's antlers.

Einar could feel water starting to fill up his lungs; Sven had come just in time. But as Sven began to tug Einar out of the depths the boy realized that his foot was stuck in between two loose rocks. Einar began to panic and tried to yank his foot free but he didn't have the strength. He gasped, letting in more water. Sven tried to pull the prince out but he too could not get him free.

Einar looked up at the darkness of the sky cascading onto the water and began to close his eyes. That was when in a giant splash Lamin pushed himself into the water and dove down to his son. Immediately seeing the problem the king removed the rocks and then helped bring Sven and Einar back to the surface.

As their bodies reached air Einar let out a big gasp and began to cough out water. Lamin paddled with Sven until he could wade back onto shore. Kristoff, Anna and his mother Elsa were all on the shore. Einar crying ran over to Elsa who embraced him, tears coming down the side of her face. Lamin sighed in relief as Kristoff tended to the tired out Sven. Lamin patted Sven on the head and thanked him for trying to save his son. Anna came over to check on Lamin as she patted him on the back so all of the water could get out of his lungs.

"Are you okay son?" asked Lamin as Einar still coughing just nodded his head. Lamin glanced at Elsa who had her hand on Einar's shoulder. "How did you end up in the water?" asked Lamin eyeing the sled, already knowing the answer.

Einar ducked his head down and tried to avoid Kristoff who was walking over to them. "I…I'm sorry I was on uncle Kristoff's sled" mumbled Einar. Kristoff rubbed the back of his neck. There was a pause and Kristoff saw Elsa move to say something so he attempted to cut her off.

"It's okay kiddo, next time you have to ask. You could have gotten seriously hurt today" said Kristoff trying to keep his tone as neutral as possible.

Elsa piped up "Hurt? Einar you could have DIED! What were you thinking? I specifically told you not to get on the sled! Do you understand what you did?!" Elsa's words were sharp, and nobody dared interfere.

"I'm sorry momma, I didn't mean to" said Einar making eye contact with his imposing mother. Elsa's face did not soften.

"You didn't mean to? What is that supposed to mean? Did you trip and fall out the castle right into the sled? How did you not mean to do all that?" Asked Elsa with firmness that caused Einar to shake.

"Elsa, this is not the way to…"

"I will deal with him as I see fit."

"Elsa…he's only a boy. They make mistakes."

"In this family mistakes at a young have a habit of causing bigger problems" that is when Elsa looked at Anna with sadness and frustration in her eyes. Then Elsa returned her gaze to her son "The rules your father and I put in place are for your own good. You'd do well to respect them at all times. The next time you fall in a lake there may not be a way to get you back out. Now do I make myself clear?"

Einar nodded his head solemnly "Yes, momma." Elsa let Einar go as he began to make his way back to the castle with his father. Elsa watched from afar as Lamin asked for Kristoff's coat and wrapped it around his shivering son and Elsa felt her heart drop to her stomach.

As Elsa stood in place Anna came to her side. "Sis, I know you mean well. But you're never going to reach him like that." Anna peered into Elsa's eyes as her older sister looked down at her hands, which were beginning to develop ice around the knuckles.

"I know Anna, I just…I don't know what to do. I know nothing about raising a child."

"That's nothing to be ashamed of, it wasn't like mom was around to teach us."

"He's so much like you Anna and Lamin. He's adventurous, curious and daring. And he's so smart like his father. I just don't know what he sees in me. He must hate me."

"What? No! No, he loves you. Einar thinks the world of you, he just doesn't know how to please you."

"Well he could start by obeying me."

"Kids are going to be disobedient every once in a while."

"Yes, but not like this. His rebellion is so extroverted, I'm not used to that. I'm afraid he is going to get himself seriously hurt…or worse one day."

"You can't always be there for him Elsa. If you don't let him start discovering things outside of the walls of the castle he's going to end up just like you and me! Is that what you want?"

"No! But these walls are virtually all I know. What am I supposed to do?"

"I'm not sure, but whatever it is, you and Lamin have to both agree. Are you two doing okay?"

"Yes, I mean…no. I don't know…he's more personable than me. People like him, they flock to him. They admire him. But with me I'm not so good with all of that. I guess you could say I'm a little jealous of his conversational charisma."

"Have you talked to him about this?"

"No, but I should."

Elsa took a breath and lightly hugged her sister. "Thanks for talking with me. I'll go talk to Lamin as soon as I can, and we will work something out to make things better for Einar. I promise."

Anna smiled "No need to make promises to me, I know you'll take care of it. Talk to you in the morning" said Anna as she skipped off towards the castle. Elsa stayed outside for a moment pondering to herself, and then she made her way towards the castle as well.

* * *

When Elsa arrived to the room of her son she found that the king had already placed Einar near the fireplace and that Lucy had lit a large fire for the understandably cold prince. Elsa and Lamin exchanged concerned glances; they tucked Einar into bed together and then left to talk in their room.

As soon as the door clicked closed the conversation between the couple had begun, they were trying to keep things cordial but the tension was evident in their tones. "Lamin, we have to do something about Einar. He could have killed himself today, and he could develop phenomena for all we know."

Lamin was having a difficult time staying calm in this moment "He's fine Elsa! We got him dried up and warm quickly. He wouldn't feel the need to disobey us if we didn't throw rules and schedules at him every waking moment!"

Elsa stepped; planting her foot firmly into the floor. "When you say 'we' you actually mean me, and if you think this is all my fault you are extraneously mistaken! I am giving him structure, and I am giving him a future so he can be a great leader!"

"Elsa, he's just a boy" said Lamin as he stared into the sharp eyes of his wife. She did not waver in her posture.

"There are a lot of boys who never become men. I don't intend for my son to become one of them."

"You are smothering him, you are making him more afraid of the world than he needs to be! He will become like…"

"Like what? Like me?! Is that what this is about?!"

Lamin was silent, he was fishing for an answer but his hesitation gave Elsa the response she sought. Elsa's posture now changed as she began to grip her left arm. "Do you think I like being the bad guy all the time? But someone has to! And maybe if you put just a little more effort into supporting me in front of Einar instead of subverting my authority at every turn then we could actually have some balance in this! He's the only child I have Lamin!" Elsa backed up to sit on the edge of her bed, looking down at the floor as tears welled up. "I can't bury another child…"

Lamin sat next to his wife, the shame overcoming him as he held her and pulled her body towards his. Einar may have been the first born but attempts to bring a second child in had proven beyond difficult. The first miscarriage had been after the battle with Hans, the second had come half a year after Einar's birth. The third had been just a week before Kristoff and Anna's wedding.

Elsa's miscarriages were kept a heavily guarded secret, but the damage had been massive for herself and Lamin. A secret tombstone was set in place for her unborn children and Elsa could not even walk by the marker without quietly weeping. She didn't have the strength to go through another failed pregnancy; Einar would be her first and only child.

"I'm sorry. You're right, I haven't been a good partner to you. I've catered too much to Einar's desires, and not his needs." Lamin rubbed the shoulder of Elsa who rested her head inside of his chest.

"I'm sorry too. I don't know what to do with him, and I am scaring him. I'm breeding a rebellious attitude in him." Elsa took a deep breath "Anna thinks we should take him on a trip with us."

Lamin clicked his teeth with his tongue and groaned slightly "I think he might be too young for a trip at this point." Elsa nodded her head in agreement.

"I'm not thinking tomorrow, I'm thinking in a year or so, I will be good for him. But maybe we can take him on a short trip. We can go up to the north mountain when it gets warm perhaps." Elsa formed the order like a question, but Lamin could tell that it was important to Elsa. Even Lamin felt that a trip too far outside the limits of Arendelle could be dangerous, but if he wanted Elsa to stop coddling Einar he had to admit she was right in her logic.

"I think that's a good idea" smiled Lamin as Elsa grinned. The two climbed in bed to rest.

* * *

Gleb trudged through the cold snow in his tattered clothes as he moved up a large hill. He walked with a limp; his right leg was scratched up. His hands were blistering and cracked as he finally reached the top of the hillside. At the bottom of the hill he saw the fjord and the kingdom of Arendelle in the far distance. "Oh thank heaven!" said Gleb weakly but with a hint of positivity. The man began to make his way towards Arendelle, at his pace he could make it in around twelve hours. He had to make it to the castle; he had to speak to queen Elsa. Even if it was the last thing he did.

**Author's Note: **Chapter 3 coming soon! Please leave reviews and feedback, all is appreciated!


	3. Chapter 3

-Chapter Three-

Lamin awoke from his nightmare in a cold sweat. He was panting and gasping for air. The dream had been horrible, the kind a father and husband never wants to have. He had been having them frequently throughout the past few months, and no soothsayer could bring him comfort. Her turned to his wife, the only person who could put his mind at ease but the queen had her back turned from him.

Lamin's body was put through great discomfort by having Elsa's body lying on top of his. She produced no body warmth and actually caused him to get chills. He had gotten sick a few times from this but never blamed his icy spouse on this. Even though it was a nice respite not to wake up with a cold chest he hated it's origin. She hadn't laid with him in quite a while, at least a month.

It was not just disagreements about raising their son that was causing this physical distance. They had not laid together in the more biblical sense of the term in nearly three months due to Elsa's fear of becoming pregnant again. She was so afraid to lose another child during a pregnancy that she wasn't willing to take any risk on it happening again. She had never officially made this her reason for increased sensual distance, but Lamin knew that was a major factor. Couple that with his lackluster support and it was a recipe for a crumbling love and friendship. He knew he needed to save it, but he didn't know how.

The morning light was coming through the windows and it was illuminating the figure of Elsa. Lamin stared at her for a moment, there were so many things he wanted to talk to her about. Confide in her, admit to her, share with her...but things were so different now than when they had first gotten married. She had a kingdom to run and it was hard to care about the bad dreams he was having when you had villagers that were suffering from everything from influenza outbreaks to not enough kinder for their fireplaces. Maybe Elsa just didn't care about him anymore, I mean what use did she have for him? She didn't need him to run the kingdom and she was better at disciplining Einar than he was. What was he good for? He was becoming more and more obsolete as she grew more powerful. Now he knew how Kristoff must've felt. Kristoff! Maybe he could talk to him about his problems; man to man.

Lamin climbed out bed, trying carefully not to disturb Elsa as he tip toed out of the room. Once in the hall Lamin was greeted by a servant surprised to see him up so early. Lamin quickly acknowledged his presence and then made haste. He knew Kristoff liked to get up early, so he'd have to catch him before he got too busy.

As Lamin dressed himself to go outside he tried to run in his head how he would exactly approach Kristoff with this information. He figured it would be best to be direct, as Kristoff would appreciate him getting to the point. If it were Anna he could dance around it a bit, and keep things vague. Anna would kind of fill in the blanks, but with Kristoff he would need to tell him exactly what was going on or else certain aspects could be lost on him. While trolls were much more of a social experience than talking to paintings Kristoff's early social life made him a tad inept on picking up on certain social cues. The man did talk for his reindeer after all.

Lamin went to find Kristoff who was usually out by the fjord fishing this early in the morning. He had a small boat that Lamin had helped him build, it hadn't taken long but the boat was strong despite it's poor aesthetic. It wouldn't have been proper to waste luxury carvings and more decorative features when wood was so scarce. Kristoff had offered to Lamin that he could use the boat whenever he pleased but the former African prince hadn't found the time with all his royal duties to actually enjoy himself in that nature.

As Lamin got closer to the dock he heard the familiar voice of Kristoff but he also heard that of another. One of a voice he knew very well. "Can you gut it for me? I forgot how." Lamin shuffled forward to see that on the dock just fresh from a trip out on the water was his son; Einar. Einar was sitting with Kristoff as the ice salesman instructed him on how to gut a fish. Lamin's presence had yet to be detected and he watched as Kristoff showed his son what to do.

"Always cut across the belly that way all the guts fall out. You don't want to eat all that" said Kristoff as he began to cut the fish open to gut. Einar was watching his every move, a smile across his face. Lamin decided to cough as to alert the two that he was watching them.

"Dad?" asked Einar with a shocked look on his face. Lamin wasn't sure how to respond to his son at first so there was an awkward pause before Lamin even spoke.

"Hello son. What are you doing?" Einar grinned, but Kristoff did not. "I see you're catching some fish. Looks like a lot of fun." Lamin put his hands on his hips, he came off an uncertain on what to say next.

Kristoff sensing all of this spoke up "Hey Einar why don't you go practice those knots I was showing you over there" he said while pointing to the other end of the dock. "Your father and I need to talk about a few things." Einar just simply nodded and then took a coil of rope to practice his knots.

Once Einar was out of range from their words Lamin decided to speak up to the ice salesman. "Kristoff, I appreciate you helping my son learn some useful skills. But I'd much prefer that I be the one to do that sort of thing." Kristoff avoided eye contact with Lamin. The king noticed his words had made Kristoff uncomfortable and began to correct himself. "I'm sorry dear friend. That was unnecessary. Yo've done nothing wrong, I've just been sensitive as of late. I feel like I'm failing Einar as a parent. I was being envious of your relationship of him, and that's not fair."

Kristoff smiled weakly "I understand. There is no need to explain. I must admit I kind of have my own agenda here as well. Anna wants to have children. I...I'm not sure if I want to go through with that. I was hoping that being with a kid like Einar would strengthen my resolve not to bend to her. But...he's a good kid. I'm not saying it makes me want to have one of my own, but it's making me reconsider some things." As Kristoff said this Lamin put his hands on his shoulder.

"The gift of life should never be taken lightly, trust me I know all too well. That being said the gift of life should never be rushed into. It shouldn't feel like a burden." Lamin smiled at Kristoff who smiled back at him.

"So what brings you down to the docks this morning anyway?" asked Kristoff, checking briefly to make sure Einar could still not hear them.

"I wanted to uh,...talk to you about some thoughts I've been having."

"What are those exactly?"

"Dreams?"

"Like Aspirations?"

"More like nightmares...I...I keep having dreams that I lose Elsa and Einar."

"We all have bad dreams from time to time."

"No, not like these. They're like visions. Like someone is in my head."

"What do you mean?"

"Like someone is trying to send me a warning...or maybe even threaten me."

Before Kristoff could respond Einar came rushing up having tied a perfect Sailor's knot. Lamin and Kristoff marveled at it, and Einar beamed with pride. Kristoff eyed Lamin and then whispered to him. "We'll talk about this later." Lamin nodded in agreement.

* * *

Once inside the castle Einar left to eat lunch with Anna and Elsa. Kristoff and Lamin began to discuss the dream in more detail. Kristoff listened with a look of growing concern on his face as Lamin described the visions he had been having. "The dreams vary a bit, but they all the same striking tone. Einar is eaten, you drown, Elsa is slain, Anna is taken and then a shadow, the shadow of a man chases me. It chases me as far as I can run. It always catches me and then I die."

Kristoff shifted his body. "Does the shadow ever talk to you?" Lamin shook his head to say no. Kristoff sighed and then glanced to see if anyone was around. Once he saw that there was nobody around he continued to speak. "I take visions very seriously Lamin. The trolls believed in them and often visions would come true. The hard part is deciphering what is simply a dream and what is so much more. If they were alive we could seek their help."

Lamin bowed his head at that. Kristoff didn't like to talk about it much, but he had suffered greatly when Hans destroyed the entire population of trolls near Arendelle. It had been Kristoff's family and even now with his wife and in-laws Lamin could tell that a piece of him had been stolen that awful night.

"Should we tell Elsa and Anna?" asked Lamin with his arms now crossed. Kristoff paused for a moment.

"I think so, but only if you feel comfortable doing so." Lamin paced a bit. He rubbed his head in frustration.

"I just don't know if that is wise. Elsa is so paranoid about Einar, she stands over him like a hawk. I don't want to give her more things to worry about. And like you said these could just be dreams. I mean, what possible threat could there be right now to our kingdom?" Lamin turned to Kristoff who shrugged his shoulders. "We are weak right now in a military sense, but what would anyone gain other than the fjord if they were to take Arendelle? Hans was motivated by revenge not political gain."

"Still, it would be best to tell her. You wouldn't want her finding out another way." Kristoff delivered his logic with such authority Lamin knew that his brother-in-law was right. Lamin clicked the back of his teeth and agreed. "I will tell her before supper. I have some business to attend to with members of the royal ministry first." Kristoff went on with the plan and the two parted ways.

* * *

Elsa and Anna were taking an afternoon stroll through their garden as Elsa was discussing some new innovations with her ice powers she had discovered. "The ice armor is effective, but I am slowly learning that the only real limitations to my power currently is what I can imagine. If I can think it, I can make it. Of course some things require more concentration than others." Elsa was explaining this to Anna as she shot an ice shard into the air and then had it implode into tiny little flecks of ice.

"You're basically invincible" wowed Anna as she began to drift into a fantasy of all the things she would do if she had her sister's powers. Elsa raised an eyebrow at her awe struck kin.

"I wouldn't go that far, but I am interested to keep pushing my limits. With no collateral damage of course. No need to freeze Arendelle all over again, it's safe to say we've had enough of that." said Elsa. Anna giggled at this remark, but the look on Elsa's face quickly signaled to Anna that she did not take that matter lightly in the slightest.

"Well then, please keep me abreast of your latest discoveries. I have to find Lucy for some official business. But I will join you tonight for dinner" said Anna as she began to walk off. Elsa waved goodbye to her sister and continued to stroll through the garden.

* * *

Right before supper Elsa was in her room putting away her jewelry when Lamin walked in. Elsa turned to him before turning her attention back to the jewelry. Taking a deep breath Lamin stepped closer and began to speak to her "Elsa, there is something I need to talk to you about." Elsa did not face her husband but instead continued to put away jewelry and re-organize her drawers.

"Can it wait?" asked Elsa, putting on a colder demeanor than necessary. Lamin hesitated, but then found his resolve.

"We should talk about this now." Lamin tried to put as much base in his voice as possible, but that show of authority was not going to impress Elsa. Lamin would have to cut straight to the chase and allow himself to be vulnerable with her "I've been having bad dreams."

Elsa now slowly spun herself to face him. Lamin had imagined her face would be full of shock or perhaps concern, but it was more blank in nature; irritated was more accurate.

"Lamin, did you honestly think that I hadn't heard you scream the past few weeks while you were in bed?"

"I uh,..."

"How do you think that would go unnoticed by me?"

"Well why didn't you say something?"

"What is the first thing I always do whenever I have a bad dream?"

"You wake me up and tell me you had...one..."

"Why can't you do that with me? What is so hard about telling me that you had a bad dream?"

"I, I don't know."

"Perhaps you should figure it out. How am I supposed to trust a man who cannot even let me know when he is scared by something?"

"You don't trust me?"

"You're missing the point once again Lamin! You should be able to confide in me, the fact that it's taken you this long is quite frankly quite concerning."

"It's not easy for me."

"I don't doubt that. It's not easy for me either, but I do it because I am your wife and you should know things like that! This is just like with Einar you just take the easy route with him and avoid anything unpleasant and difficult and I am tired of it!"

"Elsa, I'm sorry. I'm trying to talk to you now though" whispered Lamin as he moved in to embrace her. Elsa backed away however and moved around him, leaving him standing there with his arms open.

"I don't want to talk to you about this now. I don't want empty promises, I'm going downstairs for supper. I think it's best if tonight you eat up here or in the kitchen with the servants." Lamin felt his heart drop into his stomach. He moved his lips to say something but Elsa was already out the door and shuffling down the halls.

Exhausted Lamin sat at the foot of his bed and placed his face in his hands. How had he allowed things to get this bad?

* * *

Supper despite the day's events was a bit more upbeat. Einar boasted about his nautical knot tying skills, while Anna and Kristoff explained to Elsa their plans to take a romantic vacation to the kingdom of Corona soon. Elsa kept quiet for most of the night, but enjoyed the conversation. As they were speaking storm clouds brewed overhead and it began to rain and thunder.

Some of the louder thunder startled Anna, but Einar was mesmerized by the flashes of light and large sounds. As they finished up supper Kai rushed in, out of breath. "Your majesty! I have someone here you must see, he is badly wounded please come quickly!" Elsa leaped from the table in concern as she was followed by her son, Olaf, Anna and Kristoff.

They reached the entrance to the castle, the doors were just being closed to keep out the rain and soften the thunder. Propped up by servants was Gleb looking very disheveled and his untended wounds had become quite serious. "What happened to you?" blurted Olaf with no sensitivity.

Gleb tried to speak but his throat was dry, Anna quickly rushes in and handed Gleb a cup of water which he slurped up ferociously. "Thank you! Thank you princess Anna!" Anna simply nodded and smiled, but Elsa raised an eyebrow.

"How did you know that she was the princess? We have never met" inquired Elsa as her eyes became slits of suspicion. Gleb coughed violently, blood coming out from his lungs.

"Your majesty forgive me, I do not have much time. But I know who all of you are, because I have seen you all in terrible, terrible visions and I've come here to warn you!" Elsa took quick glances at her subjects, then motioned for Gleb to continue. "Your majesty, there is a threat in the east that threatens to take away everything you hold dear! Everything!"

**AN**: Next chapter coming soon, sorry this one took so long to write had a busy work schedule amongst other things. Please leave feedback as it gives the motivation and desire to write more!


	4. Chapter 4

-Chapter Four-

Gleb was breathing heavily as he drank from a cup. The room was standing there; stunned by his words. He has just dropped a heavy revelation onto them and nobody was sure what to make of it. Anna looked to her older sister who stood there frozen like a petrified tree. Elsa's eyes were locked onto Gleb who was still coughing, trying to catch his breath.

"What do you mean we are in danger?" asked Kristoff, finally asking for some elaboration from the mysterious traveler. His clothes were not of Arendelle or any kingdom they had visited, and he spoke with a thick and harsh accent. Anna could see Elsa was nervously waiting for the man's response but she didn't know what else to say to coheres him to speak faster. And he looked really worn down; there were droplets of blood on the floor. What had happened to him?

"Sir, please you have to tell us what is going on. You can't enter like that and then keep us waiting. Please speak" ordered Anna gently. Gleb met eyes with Anna, he coughed lightly and then nodded his head.

"You, and your family is in danger. It is a threat that comes from afar. I have traveled a great deal to warn you. I-I don't have much time so please listen to everything I say. It could mean your life!" Gleb almost snorted the words out he was so exhausted.

"What's your name? Mine is Olaf!" pepped Olaf with brightness despite the circumstances. Gleb did not seem too impressed with the talking snowman, perhaps he had seen magic like it before.

"My name is Gleb. But that is of little importance. I have come from the East. From the Russian Empire…" Before Gleb could say another word Elsa stepped back as guards surrounded Gleb with drawn swords.

"The Russian Empire?! You are not welcome here" barked Elsa as the swords neared Gleb. Gleb held up his hand in surrender as he coughed violently into his sleeve. Blood strained the fabric as his eyes shut from the force. "Einar, go upstairs with your father, tell him that mother is handling some…business with a traveler." Einar was not going to protest with his mother on this one and ran upstairs.

"Your majesty I mean you no harm! I give you my word, I am not from the government. I have no connection to the Czar other than being one of his subjects. I am but a simple farmer who has made a terrible mistake and now I'm trying to make things right! Please, listen to me!" Gleb's eyes showed that of a broken man. Elsa hesitated and looked to Anna who was stepping closer to Kristoff. Elsa motioned to her guards to lower their weapons, and they obeyed.

"I was tending to my crops in the field with my wife. My…wife…I was not paying attention but as I worked in the field a man came to me. He was odd in figure; tall, and built like a stalk. His body looked old and frail but his face was unnaturally young, and his hair had not grayed. I didn't know what to think. I thought he was a transient looking for shelter. He asked for my wife's name, when I asked for his name first he said that men called him…Koschei. Then he revealed his face and I saw him transform into an old man right in front of my eyes, and he started to march towards me. I swung my scythe into him. It pierced his side, but it only slowed him down. He kept coming, he told me that he wanted my wife for her beauty." Gleb looked away from the queen and princess lost in a painful memory.

"I told my wife to run! I tried over and over to kill him; he did not even try and avoid my attacks. But nothing could kill him, then he struck me down with a single blow from his feeble looking arm! It broke one of my ribs. I was in so much pain as I crawled away to safety. I thought I had bought my wife enough time to escape, but Koschei was already upon her! With a final scream she took the blade from her belt and jammed it into her heart, she killed herself before he could take her. He let out a frustrated scream as then ran up to me and grabbed me by the skull. He showed me and tried to whisper something to me, but before he could he heard footsteps and ran away. What could have possibly scared such a powerful demon is beyond me, but I thanked the heavens I had been spared. Though cursed them for not rescuing my wife in time…"

Anna turned to Elsa who was gripping her left arm already, the nerves getting to her. Anna could see an ice rash forming already; she knew her sister was too afraid to ask the next question. "Gleb, what does this have to do with us?" There was a small moment of anticipation as Gleb stared at them.

"Koschei gave me a vision, and in his vision he came to Arendelle and kidnapped you princess Anna in order to make you his bride!" Anna gasped while Elsa's eyes grew wide. Kristoff practically leaped over to Gleb and grabbed him roughly by the collar.

"What?! What do you mean kidnap Anna?!" Gleb tried to answer but he just coughed blood. Kristoff shook him again and Anna had to pull her husband off the farmer. "Tell us! Tell me!"

"Gleb looked solemnly at them, tears forming in his eyes. "It's what he wanted my wife for. Koschei according to legend is immortal, he cannot die. Because of this he is always lonely and so he searches the land from time to time for a new wife. Usually young, and beautiful. He wants Princess Anna next, and I saw that he was not willing to be stopped by her husband, his allies and most importantly I saw that he does not fear you queen Elsa. In fact he is looking forward to killing you!"

Elsa glanced at Anna and Kristoff and then turned to Gleb with a worried expression "Why Anna?" was all that the queen could ask.

Gleb shook his head "I do not know. All I know is that he is unbeatable in battle." sighed Gleb, nursing his own wounds. Elsa began to breathe heavily but then took a moment and then addressed Gleb.

"If you are here there must be a chance. He must have a weakness of some kind" said Elsa with begging in her eyes.

Gleb stared at the queen and took a deep breath "Many men have fallen to his hands."

Elsa crossed her arms "Well how about women then?" Gleb's reaction took away Elsa's projected confidence.

"Even more women have fallen to him, he preys on them. If you are trapped in a room with him and there is no way out there is only one way he won't take you…take your own life! Before he steals it from you!"

An eerie silence fell across the room as Gleb began to cough violently as he fell to his knees spitting up blood. He reached out for Elsa but he began to shake uncontrollably like he was having some sort of seizure. Elsa was startled by his actions and ordered the guards to help him. But as they tried to touch him his eyes rolled back into his head and he let out an inhuman scream and he collapsed dead on the floor. Anna gasped and buried her face into the chest of Kristoff who covered her eyes. Elsa crouched down to touch his corpse but as she did it disintegrated into dust. The doors of the castle opened and a strong gust of wind blew in as if on cue, and swept the dust of Gleb away into the night sky. Then the closed themselves, as if commanded by an outside force.

Elsa quickly stood to her feet and ran over to Anna. "Secure the doors! Make sure this castle is locked down!" she yelled as she embraced her sister. Kristoff looked at Elsa like a lost child in the night.

"Elsa, what are we going to do? This demon is coming right for Anna."

"We're not going to wait around for it to get here. I can promise you that."

"What do you mean?"

"Meet me in my chambers in ten minutes, do not let Anna out of your sight!"

Kristoff nodded his head in understanding as Elsa rushed back to her room. She knew what she had to do, but she knew she couldn't do it alone. As she made her way to her room she could hear the guards locking down the palace.

Elsa pushed herself into her room where Lamin sat with Einar. Lamin was eating some bread he was sharing with Einar as she came in. Lamin stood up, already aware that something was amiss.

"Elsa, what's wrong? Einar told me that there was a dangerous man here."

"The man was here to warn us of a danger far greater than any threat he could pose."

Lamin moved to Elsa and placed his arm on her shoulder. "Tell me what is going on." Elsa hesitated, Einar was in the room but she was a bit worried to send him out away from her sight.

"Your dreams, in them…what happened?"

"I don't want to discuss this around Einar, it will only frighten him."

"Lamin! I must know!"

"I had a dream that a shadow, a man, something….came after us all. It wanted to do us harm."

"Did it succeed?"

"Yes."

"We're we here in the castle when it happens?"

"Of course…"

"Lamin, I need your support on something. It is a wild proposal, but I fear it may be our best option."

Before Lamin could pledge allegiance or inquire further Kristoff and Anna burst into the room followed by Olaf. Elsa nodded to them "Good you two are here. I need to talk with you about a plan I have."

Anna looked to her sister, fear was deep in her. She was shaking, and her nose was red from crying. "Elsa, what are we going to do?"

Elsa stared at them all, her fists tightening as she found the words to use. "We're not going to wait around for Koschei to come find us, we're going to find him, and we're going to kill him!" The room did not move, there was no visible response, they all seemed to be processing Elsa's last few words.

"But Elsa you heard Gleb, he has no known weakness!" said Anna tears welling up in her eyes once more.

Elsa paused for a moment, her face was clearly a mix of denial and of determination but she swallowed what little doubt she had left in that moment and planted her foot as she leaned in to her family "Then we will find it. Pack your bags we are going to Russia!"

**Author's Note:** Sorry for another long delay between chapters; again work has been very very busy. But finally had some time to sit down and write. Hope you like this chapter, let me know if there are things you'd like to see and or how you feel everything is developing thus far. Can't wait to get the next chapter to you all soon! I actually went back and forth for a while whether or not to have Gleb die or have him on the journey with the group, but seeing as it's already large cast I figured it best to say "bye-bye to poor Gleb." More to come!


	5. Chapter 5

-Chapter Five-

"Russia? Russia?! What are you thinking Elsa?" asked Lamin to his wife as she began to pack some things away. Kristoff and Anna had gone to their chambers to pack for the journey and Einar was being aided in his own room by Lucy.

Elsa didn't even miss a beat as she threw a pair of Lamin's boots into some luggage. "Actually we're going to the Siberia region. If we arrived in the capital it could create too much of a stir and bring unwanted attention to Arendelle."

Lamin paused his mouth agape "You're really serious aren't you?" Elsa did not even reply and instead glared at him as she finished gathering her things. "Einar will be in grave danger if he ventures into Russian occupied territory. Do you know how much a young prince could go for in ransom?"

Elsa balked at that remark as she faced her husband "If we have him stay here he'll be an easy target. If we go into the Russian empire we might be able to find someone who can help. I'll keep Einar close to me; there is too much danger here. I'm not looking for a fight, I'm looking for a solution."

"There is no way the queen of Arendelle and her African king are going to be able to sneak into Russian territory!"

"If anyone asks we are on a diplomatic mission."

"You are not thinking this through."

"You don't know what I'm thinking."

"I know that yesterday you were afraid of Einar scrapping his knee and now you are going to take him into the den of the proverbial lion!"

"The last time I waited around for an enemy to come to me I lost half the castle and thousands of lives! I have to protect the people of Arendelle as well Lamin! Or have you forgotten our duties?"

"That's not fair Elsa. This is different. We didn't know Hans was coming, we can prepare now."

"I cannot be responsible for more deaths, who knows what this monster is capable of? We can stop him, catch him off guard!"

"You are endangering our son!"

"I see how it is! When you are lax with him, it's being imperturbable but when I do something it's considered reckless. Is that what you're saying? I am honestly surprised that you haven't already told our son that I am out to kill him!"

"Elsa! Listen to yourself! You are going to take on a demon? What makes you think that we can do that effectively? In his domain no less."

"What makes you think we can't! You doubt our ability to protect Anna and Einar?"

"Not all of us can shoot ice out of our hands!"

Elsa paused for a moment, and the pain in Lamin's eyes registered with her. She took a step forward, her anger beginning to melt away a bit. "I will never be the symbol of protection in this family Elsa. I am strong but…I think we both know who is more powerful in battle."

Elsa stepped in closer "Lamin, is that what this is about? Do you think Einar will love me more because of my abilities?" Lamin could only shrug his shoulders in response. Elsa bowed her head momentarily "That could never happen. You are a skilled warrior, a craftsman, a diplomat, a hunter…you have so much to offer our son and our kingdom."

Lamin retorted "And what about you? What do I have to offer you?" Elsa reached for the vocabulary to explain herself but Lamin gave her little time to react "Admit it, you could run this country and raise our son without me." Elsa's face hardened in frustration but she didn't break eye contact with her husband, even though she wanted to. "Do you think that we got married too early?"

Elsa truly had no response for that one, and she would be lying if she said the thought had never crossed her mind. Before they could go further in the conversation Lucy knocked on their door "Your highness, your son is requesting your presence."

"I'm coming." Said Lamin with a raised voice through the door. There was a short and awkward pause.

Lucy managed to clear her throat "Actually the prince is requesting his mother. He says he's scared." Now Elsa could not make eye contact with Lamin as she gathered a few things and headed towards the door, leaving Lamin to finish packing.

* * *

Kristoff and Anna were inside their quarters preparing for the trip. Anna was stuffing things into her suitcase with no order, rhyme or reason. Kristoff rolled his eyes as he began to rearrange the luggage so that it could actually be used.

It would be quite simple for royalty to order their servants to pack their things but the house of Arendelle was committed to staying as humble as possible, especially considering the loyalty people had shown them despite their mistakes. Kristoff was an expert at packing what was necessary, and Anna was an expert at convincing herself that she would need three different pairs of boots, dress shoes, and a copious amount of scarves.

"I'm not sure about this Anna, this demon is after you. I think I can compare this to a cow rolling itself in broth." Kristoff said it with a smile but Anna could tell her spouse was nervous. "I mean, isn't there some other way?"

"The only way we will know how to beat this demon is if we ask. And nobody around here has even heard of him. I know Elsa's plan sounds a bit crazy. But I know she'd do anything to protect me, to protect us. And I'm going to support her."

Kristoff nodded his head, understanding. "Still, we need to be thinking less about outfits and more about protection." Kristoff began to move to his drawer and pulled out an ice pick which he placed in the luggage. Anna rolled her eyes. Sensing her humored attitude Kristoff smirked "I'm not done yet."

Kristoff then brought out a locked chest. It looked old and the brass lock on it was intricate and ornate, it looked handmade. There were markings on the side of the chest similar to patterns she had noticed in the village; Anna figured Kristoff must've bought it off a local tradesman sometime long ago. Kristoff opened up the lock with a key the size of his palm and tied to a thick rope. As the chest snapped open Anna gasped a bit.

"In this chest are; gold crosses, holy water, crossbows, arrows, torches, a battle axe, several shields, leather armor and this piece of tree bark I thought looked a bit like Sven." Anna admired the chest and the bark that looked nothing remotely like Kristoff's prized reindeer companion.

"What are we hunting, vampires?" asked Anna with a chuckle. Kristoff paused awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh you've got to be jesting me! You can't seriously believe in that sort of thing, can you?"

"Says the woman whose sister can turn summer into winter with a simple footstep."

"Touche."

"Besides, it is a demon we're after. The trolls used to tell m stories about demons as a child. They'd keep me up at night, but as I grew older I began to think of them as merely stories meant to keep me from misbehaving. Now, I'm not so sure. Maybe monsters do exist. And maybe just maybe we have one coming after us."

A slight chill fell across the room. Anna hugged Kristoff gently. "Whatever happens we'll all be fine, we've faced tougher challenges before."

Kristoff smiled "Yes, like you learning how to ski." Anna giggled and playfully slapped her husband. As he began to pack and turn his back towards her the smile turned into a concerned frown. What if there really was an immortal demon after them? How would they defeat it? What if this was a bad idea? There were so many possible bad things that could happen in just a short amount of time. Anna felt like she was being whisked away into this by her sister's decision. She was too afraid to stay alone at the castle, and too ignorant on the topic of battle to object to her sister's plan. But she didn't feel safe and she felt Kristoff was faking his level of confidence in the situation as well.

Anna felt her energy level dropping as she began to sluggishly prepare for the journey east. She felt a sickness in her stomach and it the room felt like it was under water. She needed answers, she needed to find her sister and she needed her now. Without saying a word Anna left the quarters a confused Kristoff began to walk after her but stopped, unwilling to chase her.

* * *

Elsa was however not in her quarters, instead she had just entered Einar's room. Her son was sitting on a little bench next to his bed. The room was dark and dreary; he had closed all the curtains. Elsa stepped closer to her son who looked up at her with a sad smile.

"Can I sit here?" asked Elsa, her son nodded and the queen sat down next to him. There was a pause; the only noise was Elsa grunting a bit as she made herself comfortable.

"Lucy told me you are scared? What's wrong, did you overhear something today that bothered you?" Elsa wasn't sure how to explain to her son the dire situation that they were in. If he panicked, it would cause her to lose her composure and it wouldn't be long until it trickled down to everyone.

Einar stared at the ground his lip quivering a bit. "Why do you and dad fight so much?" Elsa felt her heart drop into her stomach. He could have asked just about anything else and she would have been prepared with an answer. She took a breath and began to speak slowly, finding the words in the natural rhythm of her thoughts.

"We're not fighting son, we're just having disagreements. Your father and I don't see eye to eye on some things right now." Elsa waited for her son's reaction.

It didn't take long "But you and father are supposed to be a team. That's what I always hear you two say. Is it me, I'm sorry I keep getting into trouble!"

Elsa put her hand on her son's shoulder; she could see the tears starting to well in his eyes. "Son it's not your fault. Sometimes when parents disagree…we're still a team. We'll always be a team no matter what, and you are the most important person in the world to the both of us. Sometimes people don't agree on everything, but we do always agree that you are the best thing that has ever happened to us."

Einar smiled a bit, and then hugged his mother. "Promise?" he asked his mother whispered back at him with a simple reply.

"Promise."

As the hug ended Einar raised an eyebrow "Are we really leaving the castle?" Einar glanced back at his possessions, his toys, his instruments, his room.

"Only for a little while. A vacation of sorts. Mommy has to take care of some business in the east. And you'll have to come along with me and your father. Auntie Anna and Kristoff will be there with us….it will be fun." Einar saw through Elsa's fake smile but decided for a reason even he couldn't fully comprehend not to press the issue. Elsa hugged her son one more time and kissed the top of his head. "Here, let me help you pack…"

* * *

Anna barged into the quarters of her older sister to see Lamin standing there examining his spear. "You should really learn to knock Anna" said Lamin not taking his eye off the tip of his weapon.

Anna grinned "Well knocking isn't my favorite form of communication with my sister. Besides, I've walked in on far worse."

Lamin couldn't help but laugh at that remark. A particular memory was now entering both of their heads. Anna had come to grab Elsa years ago before Einar's birth to inquire about something involving floral patterns and walked in on Lamin and Elsa in the middle of more intimate marital business. Elsa had been terribly embarrassed and Anna was a stuttering mess as she stumbled out of the room. It harkened back to a happier time for the couple, and the warm memory soon tuned back to more gray thoughts.

"Are you looking for Elsa?" asked Lamin now turning his attention to the princess.

"Uh, yes. I wanted to inquire about this trip, her plan and the mission in a whole. But I see she's not here, I'll return later." Before Anna could leave, Lamin reached out to her.

"Anna, wait." Anna stopped in her tracks and met with Lamin. "What do I do?"

Anna's face revealed her confusion to the statement. Lamin decided to give her the entire context necessary.

"How do I get Elsa to love me again?"

**Author's Note:** Wow, that was a long wait for a new chapter. Been shooting a film project and that's taken up an enormous amount of time. New chapter should be up this weekend however since I'll have some time. There will be a lot more action in the coming chapters as well, so stay tuned! And thank you for reading!


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